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arXiv · 2602.19865

Separation of the Kibble-Zurek Mechanism from Quantum Criticality

R. Jafari·Alireza Akbari
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Abstract

When a system is swept through a quantum critical point (QCP), the Kibble-Zurek mechanism predicts that the average number of topological defects follows a universal power-law scaling with the ramp time scale. This scaling behavior is determined by the equilibrium critical exponents of the underlying phase transition. We show that the correspondence between Kibble-Zurek scaling and quantum criticality does not hold generally. In particular, the defect density can exhibit a suppression faster than the Kibble-Zurek prediction even when the quench crosses a critical point, while conventional Kibble-Zurek scaling may persist for quenches through a non-critical point. Our results, based on models representative of a broad class of quasi-one-dimensional Fermi systems, identify the dynamical conditions under which universal defect scaling emerges and clarify the relation between defect generation and equilibrium criticality.

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BibTeXRIS

R. Jafari, Alireza Akbari. 2026-02-23. Separation of the Kibble-Zurek Mechanism from Quantum Criticality. https://doi.org/10.1103/9ts3-z9sk

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